The Fold cover image

The Fold

Summer reissue: Spotify's data alchemist explains the mysteries of music streaming

Jan 8, 2025
52:22

The Fold is taking a break over summer. We’ll be back soon with new episodes but, until then, here’s one of our favourites from 2024:

Glenn McDonald spent more than a decade with a very mysterious and specific job title: data alchemist at Spotify. It's possible – even likely – that no one on Earth knows as much about music streaming. He is in New Zealand for the Going Global music industry conference, and joins Duncan Greive on The Fold to talk about how Spotify does and doesn't work for artists, why Spotify doesn't stretch your listening habits, and what he really thinks about its big move into podcasting and audiobooks.

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